September Multi Songs Review (Itzy, Kat-Tun, Sakurazaka46, Wonho)
This month was a little quiet as far as releases that I missed reviewing go. Nonetheless, there are a few songs I think deserve my quick thoughts, and thus this post!
Itzy - Loco
While it is quite terrible, MAFIA in the Morning has been one of my most played songs this year as a guilty pleasure. Loco, on the other hand, pairs them with longtime collaborating producer team Galaktika.
Loco's best moment is the complete rush that is the chorus. It pulls together like a youthful teen crush, meaning it pulls together as an absolute mess. Galaktika use this to the song's advantage, with the central refrain performed with just the right level of over-the-top fun for it to succeed.
The verses can be quite messy at times, and the Latin breakdown is unrequired. However, the real error of the song is how it continues to abandon Itzy's 'Be yourself' concept from their debut. However, once expectations are set aside, this is a surprisingly solid release.
Rating: 8/10
Kat-Tun - We Just Go Hard Ft. AK-69
Paired with the safer and more traditional (even if more melodic) Euphoria, We Just Go Hard pairs Kat-Tun with AK-69, who also produced the track. Driven by a gritty and minimalist loop, We Just Go Hard brings back some classic Kat-Tun elements (such as Nakamuru beatboxing again!), along with some trendy hip-hop elements.
The song knows what it wants to be. It does not succeed in every idea, and is somewhat generic. However, there is something appealing with Kat-Tun trying something new, with the full song also being on YouTube.
Ratng: 7.25/10
Sakurazaka46 - Dead End
Keyakizaka46, now rebranded as Sakurazaka46, have released another gem with Dead End, an overall improvement over their previous singles. The song traverses with its epic brass riffs and stunning chorus. The ambition is clear, and performed with a clear will to succeed.
The song is actually not too different from former member Yurina Hirate's work so far, such as Reason for Dance. There is a little less emotion here, but the concept remains largely the same. The melody could use some work, but the performance and energy more than makes up for it.
Rating: 8.75/10
Wonho - Blue
Compared to his previous, sensual singles, Blue is pure lightheated funk for the former Monsta X-member. While this is certainly a surprising and safe turn, it is not unwelcome, as some cleverly used vocoder works excellently with the rapid-fire chorus melody.
Overall, Blue is exactly what I would expect from a b-side from a SHINee album in Japanese. This is high praise. However, I'd like to criticize the bridge, with its cringe-worthy 'we are young, we are dumb' refrain, which is exactly what it advertises it to be. Other than it, the song is surprisingly strong.
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